


It's late

by hhike



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Angst, Drama & Romance, Fluff, Fluff and Angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-31
Updated: 2017-02-20
Packaged: 2018-07-28 11:48:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 14,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7639030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hhike/pseuds/hhike
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nick has some hidden talents.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A one-shot for the time being, I just had to get this idea out of my head now. Might add more later, I still have a few things in the back of my mind.  
> My first stab at writing anything, ever, so any kind of feedback is greatly appreciated :)  
> Also, recommended listening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVRT562Gu-Q

There was no way out anymore. Nick knew that his bunny, more specifically, this look that she was giving him was going to be his undoing. He'd have to work on this. But right now he knew that there was no way Judy wasn't going to get what she wanted.

"Don't make me do this, Carrots. I haven't even touched this thing for years!"

It was a weak excuse, he knew that, but Nicholas Wilde doesn't go down without trying. Sure, this wasn't his first time doing this in front of an audience, but he never cared before what anyone thought about his performance. For some reason though, now he was terrified.

"Please?"

Judy's voice was barely audible. The bunny was looking at him, ears drooping, and wiggled her tail just a little bit.

This was all it took for the last of Nick's defenses to come down. He gave a resigned sigh, and looked at the instrument in his paws.

"Ok, Fluff, but don't tell me I haven't warned you!"

Nick slowly moved one of his paws on the neck, and plucked one of the strings. It sounded dull and battered, but it was in tune. His fingers moved along the frets, slowly playing one note after the other, testing the waters. He saw from the corner of his eye that Judy's previous expression has vanished only to be replaced by a curious look.

This was enough to relax Nick's nerves a little, and he was finally able to concentrate on playing something enjoyable. The tunes he played started carrying him away from the tiny living room of his apartment.

He was a kit again, hanging out at the entrance of a Tundratown bar to listen to the music. Only muffled sound made it outside, and the bouncer was giving him a stare, but he didn't care. He needed something to take his mind off his missing father, his sick mother, the bullies in school and just life in general. He closed his eyes to concentrate on the smooth sound of a saxophone.

When he opened them again, he was standing in a store, looking for the cheapest instrument they had. The brown bear behind the counter made sure to keep an eye on him, but he tried to keep his mask on. _Don't let him see he gets to you._

"I'll take this one."

Nick pointed to a beautiful red acoustic hung up on the wall. The price tag was a bit higher then he'd liked, but he could work out the budget.

"You can't afford that, fox" came the bear's reply.

"But -- "

"You. Can't. Afford. That." The shopkeeper gestured towards the entrance.

Nick was now clutching a battered and torn guitar he managed to buy from the friend of a friend. It sounded awful and smelled of cigarettes and cheap beer. But it was his guitar. He was playing in front of Zootopia Central Station. The night was cold, and his fingertips hurt, but the few coins in the case laid out in front of him wouldn't be enough to get anything to eat yet. He needed to get better if he wanted to get by. No one wanted to hire a fox, so this was his only option. Here, he was subject to the goodwill of all the mammals passing by. But there was not much of that left for him.

The tunes carried him back to his couch. He wasn't in control anymore. The cadence of his music was carrying him now. At the end of a phrase, Nick hesitated for a moment. He drew a long breath, and started playing again.

And Nick sang. He sang of all the pain, all the hard days and all of the prejudice. He sang of being young, of wanting to change the world. Of making it a better place. And he sang of giving up. Nick sang of being weary and tired. Of giving in to the world. And he sang of hope. Nick sang of resolve to carry on until the very end, and how some things are worth fighting for.

Because Nicholas P. Wilde has found hope again. A year ago, when he had long since come to terms with the world being unjust and lost, this little gray bunny showed up. The same bunny that was now snuggled up to his left side. One part of Nick's mind started thinking about the obvious questions of when, how, and why she ended up there, but the other part (the one that was trying not to break the spell) had the upper hand for now. Judy was the first one to move.

"That was beautiful" she whispered and planted a tender kiss on Nick's cheek. _Yes_ , he thought agreeing to the words of the song, _some things are worth fighting for_.


	2. Amazing grace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick and Judy have a hard time acting like normal mammals when they're off duty.

 

Nick was entranced, watching the tiny embers melt the snow surrounding them. The wind was chilly, but his winter coat offered enough protection so he could revel in the first moments of peace since he agreed to join the Hopps family for this Christmas. He expected it to be less.. _fluffy_. Turns out that a considerable part of Judy's youngest siblings find foxes very intriguing. Thus, most of the time Nick had at least half a dozen bunnies clinging to him, both figuratively and literally. Some of them wanted to hear the story of the nighthowlers for the umpteenth time, others were curious how he was able to hear with those tiny ears of his, some just wanted to play with Uncle Nick. He shuddered at the thought that he was old enough to deserve that name.

  
"I thought you quit." A quiet voice came from behind him. He turned around and put his back against the railing to face the bunny emerging from the burrow.

  
"I did!" He donned his most convincing face, but his stance was hardly defensible with the lighter still in his paw.

"Come on Slick, I can't have you getting out of breath each time we have to chase down a sloth."

"You told me you'd never bring that up again, Carrots."

"And you told me you'd quit by Christmas"

"Sly bunny."

"Very. Very. Dumb. fox." Judy added a nudge to the back of Nick's head after each word for emphasis. The fox theatrically rubbed the point of impact with his free paw.

"Alright, alright, I'll add this to my new years resolutions, before you murder me you ferocious beast!" This was finally enough to elicit a tiny giggle from Judy.

"I just want you around." Judy seemed fascinated with the mug of hot chocolate in her hand. "You know, we just really work well together."

"You're not getting rid of me that easily, Fluff" Nick gave her his signature smile, trying his best to calm his wagging tail; he didn't want to give away just how much it meant to him that his bunny actually seemed to care about him.  
Said bunny was now concentrating on something only she could hear from the direction of the burrow.

"Better brace yourself, Slick, I count five.. no, wait, six bunnies incoming". Nick quickly hid the sheer panic on his face and balled his paws into fists.

"Okay, Officer Hopps, I'll take the perps head on, you wait by the doorframe to block their escape route."

"Roger that, Wilde. Good luck" Judy replied, but instead of following orders she just stood aside as grey little balls of fur hit Nick in every limb he had. Resistance was pointless. Nick was lying flat on his back at the bottom steps of the porch, bunnies pinning him to the ground.

_"Uncle Nick, do you wanna build a snowbunny?"_  
"Uncle Nick, do you want to go sledding?"  
"Uncle Nick, wanna make a snow _fox_?"  
"Uncle Nick, pleeeeease help us build a snowbunny!" 

 

* * *

 

After creating a small army of snowbunnies and foxes, one of Judy's siblings - _Allister? Alan? Alfie maybe?_ \- threw a snowball. It hit Brandon - _or maybe it was George?_ \- straight in the face. This sparked an actual war between the tinyest members of the Hopps family. Everyone tried frantically to hit everyone and anyone while also evading the incoming storm of snowballs - with little success. This meant a new opportunity for Nick though. He made his way to Judy, who was watching over the merciless bloodshed going on in her family from the top of a tiny hill at the edge of the Hopps farm.

"Do bunnies never get tired?"

"Of course we do, but there's always backup. While you were busy building that perfect depiction of yourself, " Judy pointed to a disproportionately wide snow fox "half of the pack that you started with went back inside and was replaced by fresh bunnies".

"So that's how you produce so many carrots, isn't it? "

"Oh no! You figured out our secret! You leave me no choice but to kill you."

With these words, Judy bent down to pick up a pawful of snow, and started cautiously walking towards Nick with a mischievous grin on her face. Nick tried to maintain the distance between them, getting some snow ready himself. He wasn't sure he was going to need it though. Something was off about his bunny. She had a snowball ready to go, but her body language indicated something else. Her knees were bent slightly, she was eyeing the area behind nick. It almost seemed as if she was about to _tackle him_? Not that Nick would mind --  
His train of thought was violently derailed when a snowball hit Judy square in the face, covering her in white powder. At the very same instant, all the fighting bunnies stopped whatever they were doing and turned to look at either Judy or a small doe dressed in a bright red jacket, their jaws hanging open, their eyes wide in terror.  
Judy slowly turned to face her assailant while wiping the remnants of the snowball off her cheeks.

"Emily. Violet. Hopps."

Nick was sure he could actually feel heat radiating from Judy's direction. He looked at the sister in question, who contemplated the meaning of life for a second then took off away from Judy. It only took Judy half a second to start dashing as well.

"Wilde, we've got the perp running south-east, wearing a red jacket, she's a young female bunny. I'll tail her, try and cut her off by the heap of snow at 10 o'clock. **MOVE**!"

"Copy, en route to designated area". Without missing a beat, Nick sprinted in the direction Judy indicated. Emily was elusive, running a perfect zigzag so Judy couldn't quite top her speed, but she and Nick have worked together long enough. With each turn Emily made, Judy matched her direction and forced her to get closer to Nick's approach vector. Emily was a tad bit faster though than Nick had anticipated, so when she finally arrived at the hill, she had the chance to dash straight into the side, disappearing under a few layers of snow. That however was not enough when it came to stopping Nick.

 

* * *

 

Judy was still a few paces behind Emily when she saw that Nick wasn't going to make it. The red jacket disappeared into the side of the hill, and Judy slowed down as trying to catch its wearer was futile now. Much to her surprise, Nick didn't slow down at all. Judy saw him making a turn so he would line up with Emily's entry point, and then she saw something peculiar.  
Nick got down on all fours for a few paces, stopped, and -- _pounced_.  
Judy was utterly amazed by the display of grace by the red fox. Nick soared through the air, his body in a perfect arc, his arms stretched out, his tail compensating any diversion off course. He dove straight down into the snow, and Judy could hear the frightened meep of her sister. All she could see was Nick tail, standing straight up from the snow, somehow even fluffier than usual. Judy was still staring slackjawed at her graceful fox, when she heard a muffled voice coming from under the snow.  
"Carrots? Uh.. Help? I'm.. I'm kinda. Uh. Stuck."

 

* * *

 

The shivering started to lessen as Nick curled up in front of the fireplace on the third floor living room of Hopps Warren. Judy appeared in the doorway holding a large cup in her paws, a half-smile on her face.

"Dumb fox. You nearly gave Emily a heart attack, and now you're going to be down with a fever."

"H-h-ey Fluff, you've gotta avenge a f-fellow officer, no matter the cost." Nick took a sip from the hot drink, but set it down on the coffee table next to him upon noticing that yes, you can, in fact, make tea from carrots.

"I don't think I've seen that part in the ZPD handbook, Officer Wilde"  
Judy was standing in between Nick and the fire, one hand on her hips and trying her best to look intimidating. All that went over Nick's head however, as he was fixated on the patterns the flames' reflections drew on Judy's silver fur.

"W-w-well, maybe you should have read the ap-p-p-pendix detailing what to do when the officer is your -- "

_No, Nick, don't say crush, don't say love, No, bad fox._

" -- b-b-best friend"

_Nailed it._

"If you put it that way.." Judy relaxed her posture, her ears lolling to the other side, her muzzle curling into a faint smile. This sight sent Nick down the deep end, and he decided he was going to indulge himself this once. He caught Emily. He hasn't smoked for a day. He deserved it.

"C-carrots, I'm still a bit cold though."

"Oh, I'll get you a few more blankets then!" Judy turned around to leave, but Nick had other ideas. He reached out, grabbed Judy by the hips, pulled her into his lap, and crossed his arms around his bunny. For the longest moment, Nick wasn't sure that this was a good idea after all, but Judy soon eased into the hug and Nick felt his heart start beating again.

"You know, I heard that bunnies make outstanding blankets, I thought I'd see if there's any truth to that."

"Oh, and where did you hear that Mr. Wilde?"

"That's, confidential Ms. Hopps".

Nick felt her laugh as much as he heard it. Finally. They sat there, listening to the crackling of the fire, neither of them breaking the silence. Nick wished they could stay like this forever.

"You know I love you" he whispered. _What? No. No, no no. Why did I say that?_

"Huh?"

"I said you know you love me, dumb bunny"

Nick swore he could see Judy's ears droop a little bit.

"Oh. That? Yes, that I do."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone can show me anything cuter than this: https://www.flickr.com/photos/melissadowlandphotography/7774580624/, please don't, because I'll die of too much fluff.  
> Also, do you know that foxes are more effective at that when they face north-east?


	3. Powerless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, there is no easy way out.

 James awoke to a dull pain in the back of his head. His ears were ringing and his vision was blurry. That was the wrong word, he soon realized, because all he could see was an unpenetrable darkness. His other senses were a jumbled mess. He had no idea of his orientation, but he was sure the world was spinning with him. He tried grabbing onto something, but his paws refused to move and something coarse rubbed against his wrists as he tried shifting around. His ears rotated, and he heard waves crashing, water dripping, and engines running somewhere far away.  
James finally remembered he had to breathe. Several scents assaulted his delicate nose as he filled his lungs with air.

Smoke. Water. Blood. Sweat. _Fox_.

* * *

Nick and Judy were out on patrol on a slow Thursday night. They were nearing the end of their shifts and contemplating whether to get takeout for dinner or to rather just go for some takeout this time. Their heated argument got interrupted by Clawhauser's voice on the radio.

"All officers, we just received a noise complaint from a mammal in 1033 Cloverfield Lane. Anyone available to check it out?"

Judy grabbed ahold of the mic faster than Nick could blink.

"Dispatch, Hopps here. We're two blocks away, going to check it out"

Nick rubbed his palm over his face.

"I wonder why we always get the honor to crash the college parties. I still haven't gotten that stain out of my uniform from last time."

"Don't worry Slick, we'll be done before you know it."

Nick found it odd that he couldn't hear a bassline from in front of the building, and even more odd that he couldn't hear anything when they arrived at the offending apartment on the third floor. Judy knocked on the door and within seconds, a wolf stood in front of them.

"Good evening officers, how may I help you?" His voice was soft and cordial, as if they were just three friends having a chat over dinner.

"Good evening, mister.." Judy started speaking tentatively, while Nick tried to peer past the wolf into the apartment. He noticed that something was off about the way the apartment smelled, but he couldn't place the scent yet.

"Briggs. James Briggs, pleasure to meet you"

"Mister Briggs, I am Officer Hopps, this is my partner, Officer Wilde. We received complaints from someone in the block that there was a lot of noise coming from this apartment."

"Ah, officer Hopps, the savior of Zootopia!" The wolf mustered a smile. "It's an honor to meet you in person. It's regrettable that it is under such circumstances. However, as you can probably hear, there is no noise coming from here."

The wolf was friendly and polite, but Nick still felt uneasy in his presence. Judy exchanged a few pleasantries with him before putting away her notebook and turning to leave. The same moment, Nick heard a female voice coming from inside the apartment.

"Who is it, James?"

The expression of shock on the James' face only lasted half a second, but it was enough for Nick to catch it.

"It's the ZPD. Cranky old Emma must have called them again because we dared watch a movie. They're just leaving though."

"Actually, Mr. Briggs, could we talk to Mrs. Briggs for a moment as well?" Judy gave Nick a quizzical look, but didn't say a word yet. He put on his best smile. "It's just protocol that we have to ID everyone possibly involved, it's only going to take a second."

The wolf turned back and yelled into the apartment.

"Mona, the officers here want to talk to you."

They could see another wolf coming out from one of the rooms of the apartment and slowly limping towards them. As the light from the corridor finally reached her form, Judy could see that she was putting less weight on her right paw and held onto her side with her arm.

"Cheese and crackers, miss, are you alright?" Judy already started walking towards Mona, but she was quickly disarmed by her smile.

"Oh, don't worry officer. I just.. fell down a flight of stairs last week. The lighting in these apartments is horrible, you know." She was finally standing next to her husband, and put an arm around him for support.

That's when it hit Nick. That scent he wasn't able to place. Terror.

* * *

James' vision went from pitch black to blinding white at an instant, as someone pulled on his head. He saw a silhouette moving around him, dropping something from their paws. James tried to focus on the mammal, but there were two blinding lights shining directly into his face. All he could make out were the outlines of a medium-sized mammal. 

"Now, now, we don't want our dear wolf hear to suffocate, do we?". The voice from the figure was strangely familiar. James blinked rapidly, trying to get accustomed to the new conditions. He saw the mammal join another, much shorter one in front of him. The wolf tried to move closer so he could make out more of the two standing there, but none of his limbs heeded his commands. James realized he was sitting, but that wasn't explanation enough. He tried shifting in his seat, but felt the familiar coarse material on his ankles and wrists.

_I'm tied down?_

"Oh, stop fidgeting, you're only making your own life more miserable. Listen to me and this will be over before you know it."

The voice was calm and reassuring. James could hear the smile in it, but there was an undeniable sharpness to the words. Finally, James' vision cleared enough so he could make out the two mammals standing in front of him.  
One was a red fox, leaning on his knees to meet his eyes. Something about him seemed disturbingly familiar, but James had a difficult time sifting through his thoughts and memories. The other mammal was a much smaller fox, with disproportionately large ears and an even more oversized baseball bat in his paws. James tried to lean away from the duo, but his restraints were too tight.

"Look, James, I see that you have a hard time putting together the pieces here. No wonder, given how bad you hurt your head earlier. You should be more careful around stairs next time. But I'll help. We met briefly yesterday evening. I knocked on your door, remember?"

That did the trick. James started gathering the bits and pieces. He thought that was the last he saw of them. Mona was convincing enough. But the damn vulpine somehow found out where he worked and followed him into an alley. James let out a weak growl.

"Growl all you want, Jamie, not going to work. Look, this guy next to me, with the huge baseball bat? This is my pal Finnick. Tonight's all going to be about Finnick. I'm a good friend, so I want Finnick to be happy. Hey Finnick, you happy?"

"Nope." The tiny fennec had a voice fitting for a lion and an accent he could only have picked up on the streets of the Canal District.

"Aw no. So, Finnick, what would make you happy?"

The smaller mammal didn't reply but started hitting his open palm with the bat as he started walking towards James.

* * *

 

Nick was standing by the entrance to precinct one, gazing at the crimson neon sign advertising donuts on sale in the window of the grocery shop on the other side of the street.

"I thought you quit." The familiar chiding voice came from behind him.

"I did." Judy's heart sank as all of Nick's charm and wit was absent from his voice. He put out the half-finished cigarette on the lid of a nearby trashcan and started walking towards the bus stop on the corner.

"It's that Briggs guy on your mind, isn't it?"

"Of course it is! I can't get that smell out of my head. She was terrified, even you must have seen that."

"Sure, I did. But she was adamant that her injuries were inflicted by a particularly evil flight of stairs. Nothing we can do officially."

Judy's ears were practically drooping to the floor by now. Nick gave a drawn out sigh, put a hand around her head and pulled it to his side.

"Don't worry Carrots. I will find those mischievous stairs and tell them to leave that poor wolf alone. No one can resist the trademark Wilde charm, not even inanimate objects!" His joke didn't make Judy laugh, but she did stand up a little bit straighter.

"No need to get violent, officer. Maybe the stairs acted in self defense!" Nick gave his bunny a smile, but his mind was already elsewhere. She slipped out of his hug as the bus rolled to a stop in front of them.

"Anyway, I'm going to make sure to check up on Mona sometime. But I've got to catch this bus now. Sleep well, Nick, see ya tomorrow!"

As soon as Judy hopped onto the bus, Nick reached for his phone in his back pocket. 

"Finnick, you free tomorrow night?"

* * *

Finnick touched the end of the bat to James' muzzle. He drew it far back, and gave it a hearty swing, laying all his body into it, only to miss James by a few millimeters. He whimpered.

"Alright, alright, I got it, leave everything behind, leave her a letter saying sorry and get out of Zootopia for good." James squirmed as Finnick readied the bat for another swing.

"Please, I beg you, I promise, just please let me go I'll -- " The rest of the sentence was swallowed by undignified sobs erupting from James' muzzle as Finnick's swing connected this time, although it only grazed James' left thigh.

"Poor fella, don't cry, we're nearly there" the red fox walked up next to him and put a paw on his shoulder.

"Finnick, you happy?"

"Nope."

"Looks like we're still missing something. Must be something you forgot, pal."

James caved. It was not like he had anything left to lose.

"Alright! I, James Briggs, hereby confess that I repeatedly and deliberately hurt my wife, Mona Briggs. I have caused her injuries healing beyond eight days and failed to get her medical attention on multiple occasions." Another streak of sobs assaulted James. "There! You've got it! Now let me go finally, I'm begging you!"

The red fox clicked the novelty pen in his hands and gave James a hearty smile.

"Good boy, there we go! Now we can make sure that if you ever lay a paw on anyone again, you're spending the next decade behing bars. Finnick, you happy?"

"Nope. But beating this here bastard up ain't gonna make me happier. Let's get outta here."

James gave a sigh of relief just as the other fox pulled a bag on his head from behind.

* * *

_Of course she figured it out._

"Nick, you just can't do this!"

"Already did, Carrots"

"Now is not the time to be sarcastic you dumb fox. You could go to jail for this!"

_Thanks for the heads-up, bunny_

Nick had to fight extra hard to keep his snark at bay, but he knew that Judy would just freak out even more.

"Look, we both know what happened back there. You saw his wife!"

The air was chilly as they exited the subway station at Peacock Wharf. Nick appreciated the little help to keep his head cool. Judy was droning on and on about this ever since she saw the clawmarks on his arms. James did put up a fight initially. The worst thing was though that Nick knew his bunny had a point.

"Yes, I know. But this is not ours to decide! We are police officers, Nick, not judges. We can't just go around deciding who is guilty of whatever crime."

"So what was I supposed to do? Just stand by until he injures that poor girl enough that the EMTs have to file a report? Or wait until she suddenly disappears? What kind of officer am I if I can't even protect one mammal from a violent asshole? There's no use acting all high and mighty in these goddamn blue uniforms when the greatest thing we can do to protect the citizens is issuing parking tickets! I've done more good for this city in one night than in the last three months combined!"

Nick only realized he was shouting when he saw Judy taking an involuntary step backwards, her nose twitching. Nick forced himself to breathe more steadily and slumped his shoulders ever so slightly to put Judy at ease. When she spoke her voice was in stark contrast with her body language. It was quiet but steady with determination.

"You are an officer who respects the laws he's supposed to be protecting. And not the shady fox that the world thought you are."

Judy steadily closed the distance between them. Nick could see the streetlight above them reflected in the tears on her cheek. His mind kept screaming at him to just hug the bunny and make all this go away and never do anything to make her feel like that again.

But he was _right_. That fool deserved what he got. _How could she not see that?._ Nick noticed that he had balled his paws into fists. He didn't remember doing that.

"Nick."

He could see the battle that was going on in Judy's head. She had to fight her instincts with each step. He saw that her body was telling her to run from the crazy, raving fox. But she was never one to give up that easily.

"Nick, this is not you. Where is the fox I saw at your graduation? Where is the fox who finally decided that he could make the world a better place?"

Nick was petrified as Judy slowly wrapped her arms around him. She was sobbing into that gruesome blue uniform of his now.

"Nick, I can't lose you again. I need to know that you'll stick with me even when life is unfair. I need to know that you're better than a shady fox who threatens people at night. Nick, promise me that you're better than that."

He couldn't return her hug.

" _Please tell me you're better than that_ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No fluff for you today. These things I call chapters might end up being coherent after all. Also, I might have at least a few more in the pipeline.


	4. Silver

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Saying sorry is difficult business.

Nick never quite liked Silverbark Street. It was meant to provide a well-balanced environment for forest mammals like foxes and wolves. Due to some slip-up on the part of City Hall's Urban Planning department though, the street ended up being a little too close to the edge of the Rainforest District. Part of the weather seeped over into the area and created a sort of uneasy limbo where Silverbark was shrouded in mist most of the time. Not many mammals could take it for longer than a few years, but some couldn't afford anything better. Then there were the few who grew up here, and called the place home. He never understood why anyone would stick around. 

Nick knocked on the birch front door, only to hear a raspy old female voice from the other side. 

"Door's open, let yourself in!" 

Nick made a mental note to have a conversation about the necessity of locking doors sometime. Just a few steps into the hallway a cluster of scents reached his nose. Freshly brewed coffee, tomatoes, celery, cheese. Seems like he chose the right time to drop by. Nick leaned against the doorframe leading into the kitchen, and admired the elderly fox standing by the stove. Her fur was more grey than red by now, but unlike a lot of vixens her age, she didn't try to hide it, but wore is proudly. 

"Hi, Ma."

The vixen lazily put her wooden spoon across the pot and turned to face Nick.

"Oh, for Saint Marion's sake, Nicky, what did you do this time?"

"Nothing, I just -- "

"No Nicky, you don't just drop by, stop lying to me."

"But -- "

"Don't even try to make up another story. Are you working for Signor Big again?"

"No, I would never -- "

"Did you kill a mammal, Nicky?"

"No, it's not that, don't -- "

"Then you're staying for dinner. Sit down, soup's done in a couple of minutes.'"

"Thanks Ma, but I didn't plan on -- "

"I said sit down."

Nick was always surprised how assertive his mother could be. He took a seat at the tiny table below the equally tiny window facing away from the stove. Without even thinking, he rested his head on his right paw and held out his left one, taking the yellow cup with the world's best coffee in it. He also noticed a few cookies on a plate at the edge of the table, and took one to get his daily dose of sugar. 

_CLONK_

That was approximately the sound he heard when the wooden spoon hit the back of his skull.

"No dessert before dinner, you mischievous fox, you'll spoil your appetite!"

"Why is it that all the females in my life keep assaulting me?" Nick grumbled under his breath.

"Maybe you should stop giving them reasons to do so, my dear."

"Ma, you weren't supposed to hear that! I thought you said your hearing isn't what it used to be anymore."

_"WHAT? SPEAK UP, NICKY!"_

Nick laughed for the first time in days. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea coming home after all.

* * *

He carefully ate the blazing hot soup while his mother sat across from him, still wearing her apron along with a troubled look.

"So, Nicky what's on your mind?"

"I --" he took his time sipping a spoonful of soup. "There is this girl."

"So you broke some poor little vixen's heart again?"

"You could say that." Nick was trying his hardest not to let his paws shake. Spilling anything would be a capital offense, regardless of what else he was about to confess.

"So what, nothing a glass of wine, a box of chocolate, or a new crush can't solve. Don't beat yourself up, my dear." 

"It's a bit different this time, Ma. We fought, and I lashed out at her and now she's mad."

"You seem to have made that a habit, dear. And just what did you fight about with this vixen?"

"I did a few not-so-honorable things. She wasn't too happy about that, so we kept arguing. I shouted at her. She just wouldn't listen to me." Nick put a paw on his face, closed his eyes for a second, waiting for his mother to speak. When he opened them again, she was still looking at him with her head resting on one of her paws.

_No, Ma, we're not playing that game._

Nick patiently finished the rest of his meal, then helped himself to a cookie, this time without getting smacked in the head. He watched his mother in complete silence, taking the dishes from the table and washing them in the tiny sink. She hummed quietly to herself, and Nick felt grateful that he had not inherited her musical talent -- or lack thereof. He was in the middle of admiring how perfectly shaped the blueberries were in his cookie, when his muzzle decided to move on its own.

"I just feel so powerless." Nick's voice was thin and wavering. 

_So much for keeping my composure._

"This is not how things are supposed to work! She's always going on about how everything is going to work out if we keep doing that goddamn _right thing_ , as if that would make all the problems just solve themselves. And whenever I try to be _reasonable_ , she shuts me down, and we start arguing and I.. It's just unfair." Nick only noticed the tears on his cheeks when his mother handed him a handkerchief. 

"Have you thought about the possibility, my dear, that she might have a point?" 

"That's the problem! I know she's right!" Nick slammed his paw onto the table. Instead of flinching, his mother just smiled at him tenderly. "Why are you looking at me -- " it slowly dawned on Nick what he just said " -- like. That." 

"So now that we've got this down, why don't you tell her what you just told me?" 

"Because.. I hoped that if I act as if nothing happened, it would just blow over. You know, things sort themselves out." 

"I don't understand you, Nicky. Hoping that she would magically forget whatever you did is better than accepting that she was right and you were wrong?" 

Nick tears started drying up, and he had to admit, he had no way to explain to his mother why he acted like this. He ate another spoonful of now bitterly cold soup, mulling over the words in his head. 

"Honestly, Ma, I don't understand myself at times either. Thanks for helping with that, Ma." 

"You're welcome, darling. Now go apologize to Judy." 

Nick was already out the door when he realized what her mother just said. _Sly old vixen._

* * *

_CLACK_

Judy pulled her pillow tighter over her ears. She had been struggling to fall asleep for a while now, and this sound coming from her window didn't help. She contemplated getting up and checking out the source of it, but the pull of her bed was still stronger than her curiosity. 

_Clack_

This thing was persistent. But so was Officer Hopps! Som monster knocking on her third-floor window isn't going to make her get out of bed.

_CLACK_

Judy ripped open the window with much more ferocity than your average bunny could muster. She leaned out and filled her lungs to shout at whoever was making the second worst week of her life even more miserable. 

"Hi, Carrots. I didn't disturb your beauty sleep, did I?"

Judy was sure that seeing Nicholas Wilde standing in front of her apartment in the middle of the street at 2 am was just a weird joke her mind was playing on her. However, no amount of rapid blinking or pinching herself in the arm made the fox or his sly grin go away.

"Nick? What are you doing here?"

"I, uh.. What is that word? What do _decent mammals_ do after they hurt someone they love? Help me out here, Carrots."

"Um. Apologizing?" Judy did her best to ignore the little stutter her heart made when Nick said _someone they love._

"Thaaat's it Fluff, thank you! So, as I was saying, I came to apologize. I know I hurt you last week, real bad. And I want you to know, Carrots, that I realized just how stupid I have been to do that. I was a really, really bad fox." Nick gave his last statement more emphasis by tapping his muzzle. 

"Nick, are you.. drunk?" 

"I can't confirm or deny that statement, officer. But that's not the point here. The point is, that I have something important to tell you, Fluff. You know I've been a shady fox who lived on the streets before some grey ball of fluff convinced me to join to force, right? So mammals living on the street have to adapt to the bad cruel world - that you are constantly making better, just so you know - and they can't let other mammals see that they get to them. Yes, Carrots, I can see you're tired and impatient, but we're getting there. So when mammals do get to me, Fluff, and I can't hide it, then I start doing very dumb things. So when a few days ago, you really, _reeeeeally_ got to me, I did dumb things. But I love --" 

_SCREEECH_

A car skidded to a halt just a few metres from Nick. A rhino leaned out of the side window, causing the vehicle to tilt a bit to its side. 

"Move it, fox!" 

Nick lifted up one paw in the direction of Judy and turned to face the rhino, donning his most friendly face, which to his horror has slipped off earlier somewhere during his monologue. 

"Excuse me, dear sir, I have no intention of disturbing you or your drive in any way. Please forgive me any inconvenience I might have caused you by standing here. But alas, I have to bring it to your attention, that I am trying my best to have one of those so called.. _moments_ with my lapine companion up there in the window, and I would be grateful if you could let me finish spilling my guts out for this bunny." With that, Nick turned back to face his rabbit. She was holding her ears in front of her face now. 

"So. As I said, I came to the realization, that I care about you, Officer Hopps. And I want to stop doing dumb things that make you feel bad. And I don't want to do things that make you leave me. I need carrots. I mean. I need you, Carrots. And I'm sorry. And I wanted to say more things, but I keep forgetting them, _bad fox_. So, yes. I'll be a good carrot. Uh. I'll be good. Carrots." Nick huffed, steadied himself, and looked expectantly at Judy. 

"Nick, you're drunk and you're not going to remember anything tomorrow." Judy tried her best to hide the trembling in her voice. She hope Nick couldn't see her tears from down there. Then again, she wasn't sure Nick could see anything at this point. "Go home, Nick. It's fine. You need to rest." 

"But Carrots, I just told you I want to change. For you!" 

"Nick, this is not how things work. Getting drunk enough to stand on your own tail and blabbering nonsense under my window somehow fails to convince me that you mean this. Go home, sleep it off, Slick. I'll get over it." With this, Judy gathered the last of her strength and slammed the window shut. She slumped down on her bed and pulled the pillow on her ears with more ferocity than the piece of furniture had deserved. 

* * *

Even Gazelle's voice was jarring to Judy's ears this morning. She pawed around on her nightstand to silence the evil machine that disturbed her first full hour of sleep since.. well, since, forever. After a few agonizing seconds of trying to press the snooze button, she finally managed to silence her phone and crawl out of bed. Mornings were usually her forte, but she also didn't get foxes going on drunken monologues in the middle of the night most of the time. She wasn't quite sure she hadn't dreamt that part of the night, but she doubted her mind could come up with something that creative. Only her fox could have this idea. _Ugh._ She needed to stop thinking that way about him. The haze she's been in for the past few minutes instantly cleared though when she checked her phone. _10:37. Chief is going to kill me!_. 

Judy did a double take upon exiting the Grand Pangolin Arms building. She saw a fox sitting on the bottom step by the sidewalk, facing away from her, ears pinned to the back of his skull, fur ruffled. He rotated his ears towards Judy when she started walking down the stairs tentatively. 

"Hey, Carrots. Splendid morning we have here." His voice was nearly a whisper.

"Nick? What are you doing here?" The fox visibly winced as Judy called out to him.

"Jeez, Fluff, you don't have to shout. I come in peace."

"Looks like someone shouldn't be drinking that much, huh? My question still stands though, what are you doing here? Aren't you on leave till Saturday?"

Nick slowly turned his head towards Judy and took off his aviators to look into Judy's eyes. That proved to be a horrible decision, as he was nearly blinded by the sudden influx of light and the headache that came with it. _The things I do for this rabbit._

"I just wanted to tell you something important, Fluff, before you brutalize some perp because I kept you up last night. I remember every last thing I said a few hours ago. And I meant every bit of it."

"All of it?"

"All of it."

"Even the part where you agreed to pay for donuts for the next month?"

For a moment, Nick was genuinely shocked. The mother of all hangovers didn't make it easier for him to locate that tiny wrinkle in the corner of Judy's eye that reassured him that she was bluffing.

"Sly bunny. I never said anything like that."

"So you do remember, you dumb fox. But that still doesn't make it all okay." Judy was now standing just above Nick.

"I know, Fluff. That's why I brought you Startfuchs." He held out a paper cup to the bunny and even with her blunt nose she could smell the concentrated sugar contained within.

"We'll have to talk about this, Slick." Judy took the cup from his paws, and she swore she could see a smile on Nick's muzzle. Or maybe it was just him squinting even harder. "Nevertheless, I accept your tribute. Now get outta here, dumb fox, I need to be at work, and you need _at least_ three days of sleep."

"I'm not too keen on quick movements right now, Fluff. You just go ahead, I'll enjoy the beautiful view of the dumpster and the closed up DIY shop over there for a few more minutes."

"Have fun then, Slick. See you on Monday?"

"See you on Monday, Judy."


	5. Battered

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I recycle a former chapter of mine? Yes, yes I did.  
> Do I feel any shame? No, I don't.  
> This is the one I'll keep around.
> 
> Also, I'm trying out a new style, tell me what you think about it.

It's one of those days, and even Officer Judy Hopps has her limits. Being beaten, drenched in mud and waste, nearly shot on the same day, that she could take. But all this and a broken coffee machine in the breakroom is too much. So when Clawhauser asks her what happened, she can feel her ears heating up and gets ready to vent all her frustration on the unsuspecting cheetah. 

She hesitates only for a moment when she feels pawpads on her shoulders and that is more than enough time for Nick. He makes some terrible joke about rabbits and caffeine and nudges her ever so slightly towards the locker rooms. She's still grumbling to herself when she notices that Nick is handing her a cup of Starfuchs. 

"Take it, Carrots, the new barista messed up my order and put sugar in there." 

He knows she always wants to pay for her own drinks, but her addiction proves stronger. She takes a few sips from the cup and can feel the muscles in her face relax. She can't stifle a tiny satisfied gasp when she finally lowers the cup from her muzzle. 

"So _that's_ what you sound like in.." 

He can't finish the sentence because a newly-invigorated bunny is already throwing punches his way. He's got longer arms and Judy can't land a solid punch while trying not to spill the precious nectar in her other paw. He makes a terribly pained face when she grazes his arm. 

"Woe to me, a savage bunny is attacking this poor, innocent fox!" 

She can't help but giggle at him, but his expression changes to one she knows all too well. That's the one he always wears when he's trying to ask her out. It's that practiced smile that doesn't reach his eyes, the one he uses to mask his fear or excitement or whatever he feels. 

"You know Carrots, I've got just the perfect thing for a bunny who had the worst day." 

"I'm listening." 

"It begins with a cup of Starfuchs" he gestures towards the cup in her hand as they turn the corner. "Then, the bunny in question would have to accept the invitation to a certain foxes den tonight." 

_And there we go again._ She sifts through her list of excuses, but her reaction time is still to long. 

"I've heard he has _Wrangled_ on blu-ray." He whispers, leaning a bit closer to her ear than would be normal for a friend. She doesn't mind somehow. And he knows her favourite movie. He also gave her coffee. But she doesn't want to give him any false hope. 

"He may or may not have some carrot cake, too." He leans back away and she doesn't have to look to see the grin on his face. She shouldn't be getting excited thinking about spending a cozy evening with Nick, and him bribing her with Starfuchs shouldn't be working _for the second time_ now. 

Still, it does. 

* * *

By the time they arrive at Nick's apartment, Judy is done with her coffee and she's all Hopps again. It's neat, not quite what she expected. He's already digging through a box filled with movies when Judy spots it. _It_ being an abomination of stickers, duct tape and wood leaning against the wall, that somehow has the shape of a guitar. 

"Nick, why did you never tell me you're playing?" 

"Playing what?" comes the answer from inside the box, followed by more rummaging. 

"Well, I'd say guitar, but that would be an overstatement." 

He emerges from the box with a disc in hand and a grin on his face, but his bunny is looking at him with _that_ look now, and he knows this means trouble. 

"Play something for me, Nick, pleease?" 

"Sorry to disappoint, but it's only for decoration." 

"Sure, Slick. That's why the strings are all new and shiny isn't it?" 

"Oh, come on, Carrots, I haven't played for ages, don't make me embarass myself." _especially in front of my favourite bunny_ , he nearly adds. 

Judy is not one to give up on anything she wants. She also knows exactly how to push Nick's buttons. He might be good at controlling his facial expressions but his heart rate he can't, and her ears pick up on every subtle cue. So she brings out the big guns. 

"Please?" Yes, she hits the tone _just_ right, and gives her tail a tiny wiggle. That should do it. 

They both know he's lost the battle as he drops the disc in his paw back into the bin and grabs his guitar from the corner. He positions himself carefully across from her on the couch and starts plucking at the strings one by one, turning the keys on the head of the guitar. The sound is jarring to Judy's ears, espacially when he can't quite get that G note right. Even when he does, the guitar has an odd sound to it, probably due to the numerous cracks and dents on it. 

He gives her one last look that says _I can't believe you Carrots_ and finally starts playing. It doesn't take more than a few measures to make Judy's foot tap to the rhythm. The tune is something her father would listen to. All those misplaced notes that make her ears tingle and that weird cadence, it's not something she enjoys. But now she's fascinated, as she watches Nick's fingers move along the frets with such ease, so light yet so firm _and let's not get carried away_ and the way he frowns when he pulls on one of the strings. She wants to smile at him, but his eyes are closed, he's concentrating. She waits for the moment where the tune stops for a bit to tell him how much she enjoyed the performance when he starts singing. 

His singing voice is a lot deeper than she expected. It's rich, even if a bit off pitch at times, and he has no trouble filling the small room with it. It takes her seconds to realize that he's actually singing words and actually _listen_ to them. 

He's singing of all the pain, all the hard days and all of the prejudice. He's singing of being young, of wanting to change the world. Of making it a better place. And he's singing of giving up. Her fox is singing of being weary and tired. Of giving in to the world. His voice might be untrained, but there is so much emotion in those words that Judy isn't even aware that she's slowly snuggling up to Nick, because she wants to make it better, she wants to make it go away. She wants to make this world better for people like him. 

Nick's singing of hope now. Of pulling through till the very end, because there are things worth fighting for. His voice changes to match the song. She can feel the vibrations in her own chest now and it's making her feel warm and fuzzy inside - or is it the fox she's snuggled up to? Might be both. She looks up to him now, and the moment their eyes meet she knows what, _who_ he was singing about just now. 

"That was beautiful" is all she manages to say because of those damn butterflies in her stomach. He smiles, and this time it's not a grin, it's a smile that reaches his eyes. She realizes she's never seen him like that before, and she also notices that she's melting into a puddle. 

_No, Judith Laverne Hopps, you're not going to fall for this fox_ she thinks while she presses the lightest of kisses on his cheek. 

_No, dumb fox, she's never going to love you that way_ he thinks as he puts down his instrument and wraps his arms around her. 

_...but you might as well indulge yourself this one time_ they both think as their lips meet. 


	6. Morning light

She was so delicate. She was facing away from him, curled up into the tiniest ball and hugging the blanket she stole from him a few hours ago. Nick's paw was resting halfway in the small space between them, moving by half an inch every minute. The little black patches of fur at the top of her ears were so inviting, but Nick had this unexplicable feeling of guilt whenever he reached out. He settled for admiring the dancing streaks of orange on her fur as the first rays of sun made it through the blinds. She shifted and let out a yawn that moved all her muscles, and Nick couldn't help but feast his eyes. He still couldn't comprehend how that much strength could fit into a creature that frail and tiny. 

He finally worked up the courage and reached around his bunny, pulled her closer, and fit his muzzle between her ears. He could feel how much warmer her body was then his own, and how faster her heart was beating. Judy shifted and burrowed herself tighter into Nick's embrace, and content with the state of the world now, the fox drifted back to sleep. 

The shriek of his alarm clock came much sooner than he had liked, but the assault on his ears was not the worst part of waking up. The worst part was reaching out with closed eyes and only finding a cold spot in the sheets where his warm bunny should have been. It took all of Nick's focus to open his eyes and scan around the room for the missing mammal, only to find her sitting on the far end of the bed, fiddling with her phone. 

"Morning, Carrots." Nick was proud how quickly he found his casual voice. 

"Hey Nick." She didn't even bother to look up. _Maybe she's still groggy._ Nick rolled on the bed, and positioned himself next to Judy, his head propped up on his paws. 

"I didn't know you were such a Furbook addict Fluff." Nick noticed the hint of a smile on the bunny's face, but it vanished as soon as she glanced in Nick's direction. She returned her attention to her phone, idly scrolling up and down while Nick slipped carefully off the bed and started rummaging in his dresser. Part of his mind was still sleeping as he buttoned up his shirt, but the other part was raising all kinds of alarms by now. Her nose shouldn't be twitching. Her ears should be perked up. She should be tearing into him because of his fashion sense. She shouldn't let a purple shirt slide. 

"You want some breakfast before we head out?" 

"Mmhm, some coffee would be nice." 

"Oh, no way, bunny. You're enough trouble as it is, I dont't need you on a caffeine high on top of that." 

"Huh, yeah. Tea then, maybe?" 

Resigned, Nick fastened the knot on his green tie, and shuffled out into the tiny hole in the wall he liked to call his kitchen. He lazily turned on the coffee machine and put a kettle on the stove. Maybe his morning coffee would clear away this unfamiliar feeling in his stomach. To his relief, Judy finally put away her phone and sat up on the countertop next to him, her feet dangling in the air. 

"So uh.. Did you sleep well? I usually move around quite a lot when I'm sleeping, I hope I didn't wake you up too often." Her getting out of the bedroom was progress, but somehow she was still avoiding his gaze. 

"Never slept better in my life. Who knew having a huggable bunny next to you is so relaxing?" Nick carefully poured water into Judy's mug and watched as the color slowly seeped into the water from the tea leaves. The rabbit managed the tiniest smile as he handed the cup to her. 

"Yes, heh, that's nice." 

No, it was not the lack of caffeine that made Nick feel uneasy. He already finished half his cup, but this weight in his stomach refused to go away. 

"Any plans for today Carrots? It's a long time since we had a whole weekend off." Taking another sip of coffee, Nick was already going through all the possible things day could do. There was this Jack Savage movie out now, or they could go to that bar just two blocks down with the rodent band that played jazz all night, and they could go out into Ascension Park if the weather turns out to be nice, or they could -- 

"Actually, I'll have to do the laundry and cleaning in my apartment, it's been overdue for a while now." Nick had to do a double take to process what Judy actually said. 

"Come on, your apartment is barely larger than my dining table. No way you need a whole day to clean that." Nick wasn't going to give in so easily. He still had an ace up his sleeve, one that worked wonders last time. So he leaned a bit closer to Judy and whispered into her ears. "I also happen to live close to a place that does brunch. And has carrot cake." 

"Sorry Nick, maybe next time. I also need to, uh, run some errands. I'd really love to, but I'm swamped" That was it. Not even brunch, not even _carrot cake_ did the trick. For the first time in many years, Nick's mind ground to a standstill. What did he do wrong? Maybe he shouldn't have used that year-old tea filter. Or maybe he shouldn't have hugged her in the morning, he may have scared her, or maybe he shouldn't have invited her up in the first place or -- 

"Slick? You with me?" Nick shook his head to clear all those pesky doubts for a moment and focused on the situation at hand. 

"Could you tell me where the nearest station is? I don't know my way around here and my battery's dead." She was _leaving?_

"Uh, yes, sure, but I can just walk you there." Nick was already on his feet and looking for his jacket. 

"Don't bother. You need a couple more hours of sleep, fox, I think you dozed off for a few seconds there. So, where do I go?" 

"You turn left right after you get out of the building and just walk until you see that big red sign." 

"Okay, I hope I don't get lost." And with that, Judy was on her feet, half her tea still steaming in her cup. Nick walked with her through the short hallway to the front door, very careful not to accidentally bump into her. He opened the door for the bunny and she lingered for a moment on the threshold, looking back at Nick. 

"So, I guess I'll see you on Monday then?" 

"Uh yeah, Monday, sounds good. Have fun cleaning." 

"Oh, I will, thanks." She managed a small smile while walking away, but her ears betrayed her. Nick watched her for a beat longer then shut the door and slumped against the wall. _Have fun cleaning?_ He buried his face in one paw and unlocked his phone with the other. 

_Finnick, you in town tonight? I might need a drink. Or a lot of drinks._


	7. Familiar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, dear readers. I've got real lot on my plate at the moment. So updates to It's Late are going to be glacial. I might post some quick oneshots in the meantime, but this story will take time. I will not abandon it under any circumstances though, I do want to give closure to you, to myself, and to our favourite fox and bunny. Just.. bear with me for the journey.
> 
> This feels like a good moment to link the song that gave this story its title: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kh15MJ90l1k
> 
> As always, I'm glad if you read my story, even more so if you like it!

"So, lemme get this straight." The fennec's voice was booming, and Nick could swear he saw it create shockwaves in the thick smoke of the bar. "You charmed that cottontail into your den?" 

"Yeah." 

"Then she stayed the night." 

"Yeah." Nick took a long sip from his glass. The beer was awful, borderline toxic, but somehow Finnick refused to go to any other place. A few more pints and Nick won't be able to tell it's that bad anyway. 

"And you're still moping here." 

"I'm not _moping._ " Nick's words came out with a sharper edge than he meant it. Finnick didn't seem to care anymore, he just waved a lazy paw towards the bartender to order the next round. Nick hadn't realized he finished his drink already. 

"Ya, and I'm a three humped camel. The fluff hustled you good, that makes it how many times now?" 

"Oh, just shut up, Finn." 

They both sat in silence while watching the young gazelle fumble with the tap and cover half the bar in white foam. When they finally got their next round, Finnick was the first to speak. 

"Speaking of hustles." To Nick's surprise, he was actually capable of lowering his voice. "See that rat sitting over there?" He nodded towards the rodent in question, sitting alone with a half-empty glass and a laptop in front of him, talking on his phone and gesturing wildy with his free paw. 

"Yeah, I see him alright, what are you getting at?" 

"Look closer Nicky boy. Unkempt fur, plaid shirt, them ugly-ass glasses, and a laptop that's worth three times my van. I'm thinkin' this calls for The Mole." 

"Come on man, you know I can't do that anymore. I --" 

"Shuddup. You got vixen problems, so you need sumthin' to take your mind off 'em. And hustling a stuck-up rodent ain't gonna throw zootopia in peril." Nick was about to protest some more, but Finnick raised his voice above the usual level. "Sooo, man, long time, long time! You got those tickets I asked for?" 

Nick didn't know if it was because a decade of instincts kicking in, or because he really wanted to do this, but as soon as Finnick finished his line, he leaned closer to the fennec, gesturing with his paws for him to be silent and spoke just loud enough to still cut through the murmur around them. 

"Shh, man, you don't want anyone to hear about that do you? Don't want all those mainstream losers queueing up there, right?" Nick got into character remarkably soon. He hunched his shoulders as if to hide and kept glancing aroung, making sure to make eye contact with the rat once in a while. 

"Alright, alright, geez. How much for them?" While speaking, Finnick carefully slid two slips of paper into Nick's paw, hidden by the bar. Nick gave him a tiny nod and put them into his back pockets. 

"Hundred for two." 

"A damn hundred? I can't spend that much man, not even for _Red Furred Devil_! You shittin' me, right?" As he expected, dropping the name was enough to get some attention. The rat was buried in his laptop still, even more than before, but one of his ears was pointed directly towards Finnick. His typing also got a lot slower, Nick suspected he was just typing gibberish to seem inconspicuous. 

"Look man, you know how it is, there's only a couple of mammals knowing about this." Nick briefly made eye contact with the rat, and make sure to send a very displeased look his way. He should feel like he is intruding on something important. The rodent quickly looked away, but kept his ear pointed in their direction. _He's hooked._ Nick tapped his index finger a few times on the bar, and Finnick instantly picked up on it. 

"Hell, I know okay? Marting said they were going for three hundred, so I figured it won't be cheap. I'mma head out for a smoke, an' think about it for a sec." At the words _three hundred_ , the rat's tail twitched ever so slightly. Another good sign. Finnick jumped off his stool with a loud thud and stomped out of the bar, leaving Nick alone with his drink. He sipped the remains of the subpar ale that the bar was serving, fidgeting on his stool and wagging his tail slowly to appear nervous. Just as he was starting to think that he misread the rat, he saw him close down the lid of his laptop, and tentatively start walking towards Nick. 

"G-Good evening, Sir." The rat climbed onto the empty stool next to Nick in a fluid motion. 

"Hey. Can I help you, kid?" 

"I'm sorry, but I coulnd't help but overhear you talking about _Red Furred Devil_." Nick had to strain himself to supress his grin and actually act secretive in front of the poor mammal. 

* * *

".. and then he's all like 'you do know they've gone on a hiatus after their first album?'" Nick tried his best to mimic the raspy voice of the rat as he recounted his exploits to Finnick. The fennec was nearly rolling with laughter at this point, partly due to the bottle of _very_ expensive whiskey the rat had unkowingly paid for them. "So I go 'of course I know, mister plaid shirt, that's why these tickets go for two hundred a piece'". 

"You _savage_ man, I only said one hundred!" 

"Yeah, but he still ate it all up. Had to use the fake ticket verifier app, but that was all it took. Kids are getting more gullible by the day, I say." 

Finnick passed him the nearly empty bottle, and Nick took a hearty swig and took in the beauty of the Zootopian skyline. Luckily, in the year since he applied for the ZPD, his favourite spot - an abandoned factory at the edge of the South End Industrial Park - was still undisturbed, so he and Finnick could enjoy the fruits of their hard work on the roof while having a view that most penthouses downtown would be envious of. 

"Tell me one thing, Finn." 

"Huh?" 

"Why'd we stop doing this? This is good." He handed the bottle back to Finnick, but his grip was looser than he expected, so the bottle bounced once on the ledge they were sitting on, then fell down onto the concrete below the foxes and and shattered into tiny pieces, spraying the ground with glass shards and amber droplets. 

"Cuz you fell for a cottontail and joined the fuzz." Finnick was still staring at the wet spot on the concrete, his arm outstretched, as if that would bring back the bottle. 

"I didn't -- I don't mean hustling, just.. this." Nick made a gesture around himself at the factory, the skyline, and Finnick. He nearly lost his balance in the process, but he had spent enough time on that rooftop to know which strut to grab on to for a bit of stability. 

"Cuz you fell for a cottontail and joined the fuzz." 

"Shut up, or you're gonna be the one doing the falling." 

Nick had to squint as the sun rose from behind the hills on the other side of the city. The highest towers and buildings of the industrial park slowly emerged from the darkness, and Nick could hear the rumble of the morning traffic pick up in volume. Neither the sun nor the city waited for a nostalgic fox, life went on with or without him. 

"'Aight, gotta go, I'll have a deal downtown. Need a ride somewhere?" Finnick slid off the ledge back onto the rooftop and started walking towards the rusty fire escape. 

Nick laid out along the ledge and closed his eyes, bathing in the first rays of sun reaching the factory. 

"Nah. I'm good here. I'm good." 


	8. Rust

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Hello? Is anyone still around" hhike asked timidly while crawling out from under the pile of stuff life threw at him. "I'm not dead. Look, I made a thing." he gestured at the scrap of coffee-stained, torn paper he was cradling. "A chapter."

_Why did they always have to run?_ Judy and Nick had been tailing that racoon for fifteen minutes in the Docklands when a loose pipe and a careless fox alerted him to their presence. He should've known better and surrendered then and there, but still chose the option that gave the whole party some exercise. 

"ZPD, stop right there!" Nick knew shouting was futile, but protocol demanded he do it before shooting a tranquillizer dart into the perps hind end, something about only using the least amount of violence necessary during arrest. Luckily, Nick had spent a few months loitering around the docks back in a darker time, so he knew just where they had to shepherd the racoon in order to corner him. 

It only took a few well-timed manoeuvres to chase the perp into the old _Maresk_ warehouse. The building had long been abandoned, its interior filled with rusty shipping containers and trash. The racoon used his size to his advantage, slipping through tiny openings and dipping below waist-high obstacles, but this was Nick's turf. He knew the only way out was the entrance they came, so the poor guy was only digging himself deeper and deeper into the rabbit hole here. A few more steps and he realised this, facing the concrete walls of the building and turning immediately on the spot to see the two officers sprinting towards him. 

Judy was nearly in pouncing distance when he drew on them. Judy only had a moment to size up the microfauna-sized tranq gun before she redirected her momentum and slid into the cover of a rusty black barrel. To her relief, Nick did the same behind a container in front of her. As they carefully moved to unholstered their tranq guns, Judy could hear the mammal breathing. Quick, short gasps. _Someone_ won't leave this building on their feet. Still, the numbers were on their side. Even if the racoon managed to shoot one of them, he wouldn't get the chance to reload. For once, the unwieldy nature of tranq guns was an advantage. 

Judy was about to take a peek above the barrel when everything went white. A roar not unlike thunder assaulted her ears. Her head felt like it was about to crack and her vision turned into a few blotches of colour against a grey backdrop. Her instincts told her to lie down, but figuring out which way _down_ was proved difficult enough on its own. Then the second roll of thunder came. And the third. Each one shook the floor and reverberated through the barrel, and each one felt like another crack in her skull. 

Gunshots. No amount of training could prepare her for how _loud_ they were, especially with the shots echoing from countless surfaces. Judy leant against the barrel next to her and flattened her ears behind her skull for what little protection that offered. She turned off the safety on her tranq gun, tried to steady her breath and waited for a break. When no shot came for three heartbeats, Judy peeked out from behind her cover, lined up the sights on her tranquillizer with the head of the racoon, and pulled the trigger, all in one, graceful move. Before ducking back, she saw the racoon's wide-eyed stare when he heard the hiss of the tranq dart, and she saw the dart zoom by her target and impale itself into the concrete wall behind him. 

The perp turned all his attention to Judy and started firing. This was all Nick needed to snap out from behind the container and fire his own tranquillizer dart, hitting the racoon square in the chest. It took the criminal a second to realise that he'd been shot with a round that should bring down an elephant, but after a confused blink he complied with the laws of nature and collapsed onto the floor, the black handgun sliding out from his paw. 

It took half an eternity for Judy to hear anything apart from her heartbeat again. The first words she could make out, sitting on the concrete floor waiting for backup were _we're gonna be alright, Judy, we're gonna be alright my love_. 

* * *

Nick awoke after what felt like three seconds of sleep to the buzzing of his phone on the nightstand. It wasn't morning yet, judging from the moon visible from the window, so it had to be a text from someone. He clumsily reached for the phone, squinting when he was blinded by the screen as he tried to make out the words. 

_Are you awake?_

Nick still wasn't completely awake, but still managed to tap out "Yes" when he saw the word "Carrots" on the top of the screen. A couple of seconds later the reply was there. 

_Mind letting me in?_

_Now_ he was awake. Judy at his apartment in the middle of the night? While he scurried for the front door, a thousand scenarios ran through his mind. Was she hurt? Did she finally have enough of Pucky and Bronk - or whatever they're called? Did that shifty armadillo evict her? He covered the distance between his bed and door faster than Clawhauser could have in his prime and opened it up to find - judging by her feet drilling a hole into the hardwood - a very anxious Carrots. 

"Hey." her voice was but a whisper. 

"Judy, are you alright? Did someone hurt you? What happened?" 

Nick ushered the rabbit into the apartment, quickly checking both ways down the hallway before locking the door behind them. 

"No, no, no, I'm fine, it's just, I.. I couldn't sleep." 

"Look, Carrots, I know I'm the fox of your dreams and you miss me, but I don't think that warrants crawling across the city at nocturnal-mammal-o' clock." 

"Not everything is about you dumb fox. " Her words had an unusual edge now that Nick felt cutting into his gut, but the smile she flashed afterwards made the pain bearable. "Speaking of foxes and dreams. As much as I love the hearts on your boxers, you might want to make yourself decent." 

She smiled, that was good. She might have seen things she shouldn't have. In Nick's mind, it was worth it, so he doubled down. Hands on hips, he mustered the most cheesily seductive grin he had, and much to his satisfaction, Judy burst out laughing. 

A few minutes later, Judy was sitting on Nick's war-torn couch, holding a hot cup of tea, her fox beside her. 

"I still can't believe you wear stuff with _hearts_ on it." 

"Hey! It was on sale and it's comfy. I also don't quite dress to impress insomniac rabbits when I go to sleep. Speaking of which. Care to explain how you wound up here?" 

"I uh, I couldn't sleep." she said, with ears lying flat, looking away from Nick. A few beats of silence and she went on. "I had a nightmare, and I just couldn't go back to sleep, and you're the only one I could think of." 

This last sentence made Nick's heart skip, but before he had the chance to respond, Judy spoke again. "I was back in the docks again, and he was shooting again. And I couldn't hear anything, and couldn't see you and ugh, it was terrible." She took a sip from the tea, concluded that yes, Nick could manage to mess up making tea, and took a few deep breaths to steady herself. 

Nick reached over tentatively, still unsure where Judy's boundaries were today and put a paw on her shoulder as gently as he could. "We're gonna be alright, Judy. It's over now, he's gone for the better part of twenty years, and I'm here with you now, okay? He's not going to shoot anyone anymore." For a moment, it seemed Judy finally settled down, but Nick felt her stiffen under his paw again. 

"B-but he shot me and he shot you and again and again and I -- I couldn't move away and he just kept going, and it was like the whole _sky_ was coming down on us and I couldn't do anything and -- and it's -- " Judy finally ran out of breath and leaned into her fox, sobbing. Nick kept repeating the same mantra. "We're going to be okay, Carrots, I'm here, it's okay." Some seconds or minutes or hours later, both of them stopped talking, and Judy thought about how maybe she should be heading home. Staying all night with a friend with whom you have fuzzy history is not a thing a smart mammal would do. But tonight, Judy wasn't a smart mammal. She was just a dumb bunny. 

Sitting there in the dimly lit apartment, tucked into the embrace of her fox, the world seemed like a safer place now. It was a place where she didn't feel terrified of every car with a leaky exhaustion. In this place, it was okay to just hold on a little tighter, and make everything else go away. No reports, no gunshots, no racoon, only Nick's silky orange fur that her paws have somehow found their way into. 

* * *

Nick was not a fox who found himself at a loss of words too often. Now, with his rabbit leaning on his shoulders, still shivering a bit, he believed silence was the only option. He stared out of the window, searching for something to say. Something to make her feel better, to just let all the fear disappear. 

Before he found the right words, he was broken out of his trance by Judy grabbing a pawful of shirt and fur on his chest, shifting next to him and planting a tender kiss on his neck. Before Nick had any time to think, his muzzle made its way to the spot between her ears and kissed her there, softly, making sure not to break her. He put a paw onto the small of her back to pull her tighter into his embrace, but Judy seemed to have different plans. She pulled herself upright, and kissed her fox again, this time on the side of his muzzle, their whiskers touching for a moment. Nick turned his head to look at her and possibly say something along _this is a bad idea_ or _what are we doing Carrots_ , but all those words went down the drain when he looked into her eyes. The fur around her eyelids was still matted from the tears, but her nose was still, the desperation gone from her expression. 

"Judy..." he began, but it only took a heartbeat for the rabbit to crawl into his lap and kiss him. It took even less for Nick to realise that he wasn't going to finish his sentence that night. Not with Judy flush against him, his fingers stroking the base of her tail. On another night, he might have worried what this meant for them and told her to stop. That's what he would have done if he had been a smart mammal. But when he felt the silky fur on her paws stroke his muzzle, Nick was nothing but her dumb fox. 


	9. Laid bare

There was no sunrise that morning in Zootopia. Even from the top of the old warehouse, all Nick could see past the ledge was an impenetrable mist not unlike Silverbark street. The air was unusually chilly for May, but neither of these managed to break Nick's concentration. He squeezed his left eye shut, looked down the barrel and sights, lined up the empty bottle, and pulled the trigger. The shot echoed off the scattered metal plates of the roof and he could swear he felt the concrete resonate below his feet. Yet the bottle was still there, intact. He lowered the barrel, the absence of the stock against his shoulder making him aware of the dull pain. It was probably going to leave a mark. And Judy would ask about it. He watched the two empty shells fall out of the barrel, their sulfury smoke stinging his nose. He didn't even look to the side when he held out his paw to Finnick for the next to shells. 

"Let it go, Nick, it's just not your day. Do you really wanna waste the whole box?" 

"Shut up and give me the shells." 

"No." 

Nick finally turned to face the fennec, baring his canines in the process. Not enough for it to be a threat, not yet. He reached past Finnick into the crate then fumbled the two shells back into place and took aim. He waited until he heard Finnick slide his ear protectors back on, then fired two shots in quick succession. The only thing he hit was the metal railing way wide of his target. 

"Playtime's over." 

"No, it's not, I just need one more, dammit." Nick could feel the hairs on his neck stand on end and his grip tighten as he shouted back at the fennec. 

Never before has he seen Finnick move so quickly. He hadn't even realised what happened until the pain jolted into his shoulder when Finnick pushed away the barrel. Nick hadn't noticed he had pointed the unloaded gun at his friend. That was all he needed to snap out of the red fog on his mind that was almost as thick as the smog around the city. He let the smaller mammal take the gun out of his hands without any resistance and sat down on the wet concrete so that he was at eye level with him. 

"Don't gimme that look, ya know I'm not your therapist you arse." Finnick said as he carefully laid the rifle back into its case and slung it over his shoulder. "Talk to her or go hire a vixen or do whatever but you point a gun at me again and you won't have to worry about females anymore." 

"It's just -- " 

"Shut your muzzle, I said I'm not ya shrink. Gotta split anyway. Need a ride somewhere?" He was already by the stairwell when Nick replied. 

"No thanks, I'm good here. I'm good." 

"Way to be dramatic, asshole. Ciao." With that, he slammed the metal door behind him and Nick was once again alone with his thoughts. 

* * *

His rabbit has gotten fond of this position recently. She was lying on top of him, her head right over his heart, her ears spread out left and right. He was absentmindedly caressing the white fur of her tail, enjoying the soft tingle and the smell of rabbit in the air. 

"So what's wrong, Fluff?" 

"It's just the Swinton case. No one seems to make any progress. We all know she's guilty, but we can't get a firm grip on her." With that, she burrowed her muzzle into Nick's chest fur and let out a frustrated groan. 

"It's gonna be alright, you always manage to come up with something, and half the precinct is working the case. You'll get there." The words he spoke were like a mantra by now, not waking him from his bunny-tail induced trance. A couple of minutes or hours passed until she spoke again. 

"Why'd you ask anyway, was I.. was I bad? I _am_ a bit preoccupied, but I thought you liked it." 

"No, no, you were great, really, it's true what they say about bunnies." He planted a soft kiss between her ears because still couldn't look into her eyes when he was lying. And of course, she sensed it and rose to her elbows to face Nick, eliciting a pained yelp from him. 

"Don't dodge the question, Nick." There she was again, Inquisitor Judy Hopps. And maybe this time she would succeed, what did it matter anyway? Nick pinched the bridge of his nose. 

"It's... Every time you spend the night it's because you're stressed or frustrated or something is bothering you. So I know that I should ask." And there it was, he said it. He braced for everything to crumble along him, flattening his ears against his skull as if to protect them from the metallic sound of the shots ringing out. But she was silent, looking at him half surprised half quizzical. "Don't think I haven't noticed, Judy. You always come when there's trouble and then act as if this was nothing and push me away every damn time." 

"Nick -- " 

"How am I supposed to know when you'll come again? What if you find some better form of stress relief, like I don't know, throwing whisky bottles off high places? What am I supposed to do then?" Nicks paws moved on their own and pushed her away by her shoulders, so she was sitting upright. For a moment, his body betrayed him as he saw the slender form of his bunny and he cursed himself for picking this time for this argument. 

"Nick, you know I need some time." She didn't look at him, almost as if she felt guilty for something. 

"Time, time, time, it's what they always say. You said that half a year ago and you said that a month ago! How long do you think I can wait for you?" 

"Well then don't wait, I didn't ask you to!" 

He had expected this. He had heard this. And yet, every time it stung as if it were the first. This was where the argument usually ended, with her packing up and him looking after her in the doorway and then pretending nothing happened the next day. But now, for better or worse she was stuck here with him. 

"But I will if you just finally tell me _why_." 

"I don't know, Nick, that's why I asked for time you stupid fox." 

"Then why are you here? I'm good enough to be stress relief but not good enough to be your partner?" His voice was closer to a whine than he would have liked, but he couldn't let go now. One way or the other, this had to end. "Are you afraid of what Bogo will say? Or your family?" 

"No, I'm not afraid of _them_." She realised what she had said exactly as soon as it left her mouth. Nick could clearly see all her feelings in rapid succession, laid out clearly on her face: shock, fear, remorse. He waited for her to keep talking, to try and find an excuse, to try and backpedal. Yet it was him who broke the silence. 

"Why? I thought we were past that." 

"Well I thought that too until you beat a wolf half-dead!" Her ears were flat against her head and her nose was twitching in terror, but somehow she didn't squirm or move away even as she shouted at him. 

"I said I was sorry!" 

"Yes, and that's going to magically make it go away. Nick, this isn't how things work. I am afraid because I'm still not sure you're the fox I think you are. I need you to be better than that, I told you already." 

"And I _want_ to be that fox, Judy, I really do, but I... I need you to help me with that. Please. I can't do it alone." 

There he was, laid bare in front of her. This was the moment when she would be disgusted by him, that he really is the petty criminal she thought him to be. Even worse, he admitted that he was weak. She would see through him now, past all the walls, past Officer Wilde and find the ranger scout still cornered and lashing out at shadows. She shouldn't have seen this. He knew she would leave. 

Instead, she laid back onto his chest, hugging him close but not saying a word. Nick hesitantly put his paw on the small of her back and listened to the hasty rhythm of her breath. He didn't know how she was still here, nor why their silence felt different now. The tension was gone now but left a hole in its wake. Still, Nick enjoyed the sudden emptiness. So he put a paw on her ears, closed his eyes and waited for morning to come. Maybe tomorrow, the sun would rise over Zootopia again. Maybe. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's been a long time, I know you expected something different. I can't promise faster updates nor a better story, but I can - and will - thank you for sticking around.


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